Shami doubtful for Australia series

Despite starting the short tour to Australia with a convincing win over Western Australia XI in Perth, the Indian team suffered a major blow. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami, hoping to return to international cricket after a nine-month injury layoff, pulled his hamstring on Friday.

Despite starting the short tour to Australia with a convincing win over Western Australia XI in Perth, the Indian team suffered a major blow. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami, hoping to return to international cricket after a nine-month injury layoff, pulled his hamstring on Friday.

Shami hurt himself ahead of the warm-up game and was unable to bowl. Confirming the injury, a BCCI insider revealed that a final decision on Shami’s availability will be taken on Saturday.

“He suffered an injury during the team’s training and is being monitored. Based on the medical advice on Saturday, it will be decided whether he will continue to be a part of the squad or not,” said a BCCI insider.

Shami was selected for the Indian team after a long gap following last year's World Cup. The pace bowler played the latter half of the World Cup through pain, thus aggravating his knee injury. It resulted in him undergoing a knee surgery and sidelined him for more than eight months. He returned to the field during last month's Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Bumrah on stand-bye

Gujarat pacer Jasprit Bumrah is understood to have been placed on stand-bye. The Gujarat Cricket Association secretary Rajesh Patel confirmed the development, adding that the association has been alerted that Bumrah may have to be released from the Gujarat squad any time.

Bumrah has been on the selectors’ radar for a while. The uncanny pacer finished as the highest wicket-taker in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the domestic one-day competition, helping Gujarat emerge national champions. It is understood that he was marked as the first stand-bye by the national selection panel while finalising the squad for the five ODIs and three Twenty20s in Australia.

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